Genius
by creepstakes
Summary: Shuuichi comes a step closer to finally understanding just what Kurama really is.


**Genius**

_To avoid confusion Kuramas human brother is spelt 'Shuuichi' and Kuramas human name 'Shuichi'._

-

It was a warm summer day, among the ones that Kurama enjoyed so very much, barely spring and yet the sky showed promise and his flowers where about to awaken. It was at this point n time that he felt the best. There were of course certain days where he could barely leave his room because of the screaming leaves. Screaming because they were slowly dieing, screaming for the other leaves on the ground; dead. He put himself through this human routine in the name of staying undercover, if the trees around his house suddenly started ignoring the seasons like all the others it would seem suspicious.

But this wasn't a time for mourning; this was the time of life. The time for young children to be outside gallivanting about and sneakily graffiti store fronts for shits and giggles. Or if most teenagers were like Kurama stepbrother Shuuichi, however they would be inside playing video games by themselves absolutely refusing to tear their eyes away from the screen.

Shuuichi must have known that Kurama himself was not perfect, he disappeared to often for unexplained reasons and had bruises and scars more than most boys his age and record would. Shiori worried, Hatanaka was quick to reassure her that he'd been the same at that age too. Though, of course, they both knew no one had been quiet like Kurama at that age. He was a genius, and genius is only a small step away from madness. A madness which they could already see glimpses of.

Shuuichi still stubbornly ignored his stepbrother when he was asked to go outside for a while and do something in the sun.

"I dun need to be like you." He answered distractedly in his slurred language all teenagers seemed to support these days, fingers pounding the keys quicker and hoping he wouldn't have to pause and get into an argument with Shuichi just yet, he was at the best part!

Kurama merely bit the inside of his cheek and placed a hand on his hip. Shiori was still on her honeymoon with her new husband and Kurama had been left to take care of Shuuichi for a week. Kurama could only hope that Botan didn't show up anytime soon otherwise he'd be forced to bring his new brother with him.

Kurama hated nagging, it was a stupid human concept.

"Shuuichi you can't just sit in the living room all day." Kurama tried calmly again, but he was beginning to tire of the rebellious teen. Humans honestly, there was so many other things to do rather than sit inside and play a fighting game when they could be learning the real thing. If it would have gotten Shuuichi out of the house Kurama would have taught him himself! Alas that would have meant he would have to openly admit to his family he knew how to fight. He was suspicious enough as it is, Kurama didn't like holding to much back from his human family.

"Go 'way!" Shuuichi had paused the game and turned to shout at him before grabbing the nearest pillow and throwing it as hard as he could at the older boy. "I'm not you!"

Kurama considered letting the pillow hit him but decided it was a waste of time, so he caught the pillow with quick reflexes and let his hand fall by his side his other hand slipping from his hip. He was partly stunned though, by the new revelation. Kurama wasn't trying to make Shuuichi him (Inari, Shuuichi would probably pass out if he knew the truth about Kurama) but he was also worried about the fact that the boy seemed to think that he was trying to make him his carbon copy.

Kurama shifted angles and tried yet again. "Shuuichi I'm not trying to turn you into me, I don't want anyone to be like me. You are you. I just think you need some sun once in a while." He said gesturing to the window which the other boy had pulled the blinds over, using the excuse of light hitting the TV screen.

"There's nothin' wrong with stayin' here." He said pausing the game again and turning to face his brother, rising to his feet this time. "Just because our olds are married now doesn't mean you get to be the boss of me."

Kurama gawked at the teenager a little longer, nothing was going to get through to this boy that he only cared for his health. He didn't even take brakes or anything it can't have been good for him. Another approach then, Kurama thought, one that would suit conventional human sibling behavior perhaps. Kurama had seen other siblings do it; he may as well give it a try.

Shuuichi was on his back with a pillow in his face before he even registered that his older brother had moved. Kurama was careful to not tackle him onto the Playstation the boy had been using or the mess of cords surrounding it, he still felt Shuuichi struggle to push him away from it though, his care for the object even when the mindlessness that usually came with fighting took over.

The younger boy pulled the pillow from his face and Kurama could see the surprise clearly written on his face, as well as a deep shine in his eyes something Kurama instantly recognized as cheerfulness, maybe the boy had been wanting this for so long he'd forgotten. Kurama was just too inhuman to understand the basic needs of humans, even if he technically was one, to notice.

Then next thing Kurama knew his face was being shoved into the floorboards by the smaller boy, Kurama had forgotten that he was smaller than him, the boys' baggy clothing was deceptive, and while he didn't have the knowledge Kurama had he had the size that Hiei very often used to his advantage, Kurama just underestimated his human brother.

"What're you going to do, huh?" Shuuichi laughed lightly. "All you care about is your books and that stupid temple."

Kurama held back a smirk, oh if only he knew.

I guess you could say that if Kurama still had a tail it would be wagging right about now, adding to the sudden shift in the air brought on by the fox's cunning playful streak.

Too quick for Shuuichi to have even begin thinking about reacting he found their positions flipped and his own cheek was now shoved against the solid floorboards, held down by a single one of Kurama deceitful hands and his arms held at his back. Shuuichi refused to acknowledge the thought that suddenly rushed across his mind, the thought that his brother is to fast and strong for someone who does nothing but read about plants hang out in his room with that creepy emo friend of his.

"You're foolish to think that you can spend hours staring at a screen and learn to fight, Shuuichi." Kurama said pushing the younger boys head against the floorboards harder for a second before releasing his grip completely.

Shuuichi stood slowly watching his new brother warily as he walked off towards his bedroom, the younger brother could have sworn he heard Shuichis' window sliding open.

The younger brother wasn't so much as worried about Shuichi trying to stop his from playing his game (it was beginning to bore him anyway) or the fact that they had just had their first 'brotherly' fight, it was what his father, Hatanaka, had told him a few nights before the first time he had met the strange older boy he was now to know forever as his brother.

Firstly Shuuichi had thought him to be some sort of nerd from the descriptions, but then he saw him face to face and his opinion changed as it had numerous times as he got to know him more. The older teen was a freak. Even Hatanaka had warned him about him, saying that geniuses are often different to most people, and to not set him on edge or be mean to him.

But after feeling the bandages under Shuichis' shirt in their small struggle just then, and the clear strength and skill he clearly had made Shuuichi wonder.

What did Shuichi really do when he went away without warning?


End file.
